South Korea has sought Israeli assistance to test its indigenous AESA radar developed for the KF-X stealth fighter. South Korean Defen...
South Korea has sought Israeli assistance to test its indigenous AESA radar developed for the KF-X stealth fighter.
South Korean Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said it has signed an agreement with Israeli ELTA Systems Ltd for airborne testing of the radar. The news comes amid repots of cancellation of the indigenous radar development by South Korean Agency for Defense Development(ADD).
According to the agreement, ELTA will only provide technology support for operational testing of the radar and will not assist in its development.
South Korea turned to indigenous development of the Active Scanned Electronic Array (AESA) radar after U.S. refused to share its strategic technology.
The Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI) is developing the KF-X stealth fighter with advanced capabilities like stealth, supercruise and sensor fusion. Indonesia is also a partner in the program shouldering 20 percent development cost and development work.
The first KF-X prototype is expected to achieve maiden flight in 2022 and the development is planned to be completed by 2026.
South Korean Air Force (ROKAF) intends to procure up to 120 KF-X fighters to replace the aged F-4 and F-5 fighters by 2032.
